Children of the Earth and Moon
by deadeb03
Summary: The Sanzo party is sidetracked from their mission when they come across a valley of love-struck men under the spell of a beautiful, glowing young woman. But why does Goku seem to be affected by her more than any of the others?
1. Chapter 1

Children of the Earth and Moon

Chapter 1

"I'm soooo hungry!"

"Shut up, Goku."

"But Sanzo, if I don't eat soon, my stomach's gonna collapse."

"Shut up, ya chibi monkey!"

"Hakkai, why didn't you buy enough food at the last town?"

"Um, Goku, I'd stop complaining if I were you."

"But I'm starvin' to death!"

"Here, let me help you along!" Sanzo snapped, turning around in his seat and pointing his gun in Goku's face. "One more word and you'll be eating lead!"

Goku tried to hide behind Gojyo in the face of the monk's wrath, but the red- haired man shoved him back across the back seat of the jeep.

"Don't get me involved! You're the crybaby!" Goku opened his mouth to yell back at Gojyo, but the metallic click of the gun cocking made him snap it shut again. Gojyo laughed. "Finally! Some peace and quiet! At least it wasn't me at the business end of that gun this time!"

"Don't tempt me," Sanzo warned and turned back to watch the road.

"At least we're not in the desert anymore," Hakkai said with optimism. "I'm sure we'll be able to find something to hunt in these woods."

"Aw, come on! We've been camping out for over a week!" Gojyo complained, leaning over Hakkai's seat. "I want a real meal, beer, smokes, gambling, a soft bed...and someone soft to share it with."

Gojyo jerked back as Sanzo reached into his robe, thinking he was going for his fan, but instead, the monk sighed and took out his pack of cigarettes. "I'm almost out. Hakkai, isn't there anywhere on the map we can stop for supplies?"

"There is a town, but it's too far away to be reached before nightfall. And with the way we've been driving Hakuryuu lately...I don't think it would be wise to push him. It would be better if we made camp for the night."

"How about houses?" Gojyo asked. "There's got to be a woodcutter or hunter or something living in here. Preferably one with cute daughters?"

"Can't you think from above your belt at all?" Sanzo groaned.

"Only as far as my stomach."

"Look!" Hakkai said, pointing down the road in front of them. They all leaned forward in their seats.

"Is that a...horse?" Gojyo asked.

"No rider, but I see a saddle," Sanzo said. Hakkai slowed the jeep down. "It must have gotten loose."

As they neared the large, white animal, Sanzo motioned for Hakkai to stop. He got out of the jeep and slowly walked toward the horse. The whites of its eyes flashed and it struck the ground with its hooves, tossing its head in agitation.

"Be still," Sanzo told it in a low voice. "I won't hurt you." The horse immediately calmed down and lowered its head, allowing Sanzo to pick up the reins dragging in the dirt between its legs.

"He's so big!" Goku exclaimed leaping from the backseat. "I've never been this close to a horse before."

"You certainly have a way with dumb animals," Gojyo commented, lighting up a cigarette. "Must be all the practice."

"Shut up, ya cockroach!" Goku snapped.

"I'm just sayin' that big boy there can't be as much trouble as you usually are."

"It's female," Sanzo corrected him. As he brought the animal closer to the curious group, he felt her start to shake with fear. Her ears lay back flat against her head and she bared her teeth, pulling at the reins to back away.

"Guess that's why you became a monk,"Gojyo laughed. "The ladies don't seem to like you."

"Shut up! I think it's the jeep."

A sad beep issued from the vehicle. "I'm sorry, my friend," Hakkai said, patting the steering wheel, "but it seems you're making our guest nervous. Go ahead and transform, and we'll see if that helps."

The vehicle disappeared in a puff of smoke, leaving a small dragon in its place. Hakuryuu let out a small cry and flew to Hakkai's shoulder. Stretching out his long neck, he sniffed at the newcomer. The horse sniffed back, giving a satisfied snort when she realized the dragon was harmless.

"This horse must belong to someone," Hakkai said reaching out to tentatively stroke the horse's soft muzzle. "There must be a farm or village nearby."

"This isn't just any horse," Sanzo said, inspecting the saddle. "This is an expensive saddle. Very expensive."

"Expensive, hunh?" Gojyo perked up from where he leaned against a tree beside the road. "You mean we could sell it for food, alcohol, and smokes?"

"Don't be stupid," Goku said. "We should return it to its owner, get a huge reward, a comfy place to sleep...and food, alcohol, and smokes."

"A warm bed does sound heavenly," Hakkai agreed. "I'm sure wherever this horse came from would be big enough to have an extra room or two for the ones returning his property. For all we know, this is his favorite horse."

"Whatever," Sanzo grumbled. The horse started nuzzling the monk, trying to get his attention. When that didn't work, she sniffed around his hair, attempting to grab it with her lips as if it were hay. He swatted the horse's nose. "Let's just get going. Without Hakuryuu, this place better be close."

"Can I ride it?" Goku asked, jumping up and down. "Hunh? Can I? Can I?"

"Here we go again," Gojyo sighed. "He's such a spoiled little brat."

"Shut up. You're scaring the horse you stupid monkey!" A sharp rap on the head with Sanzo's fan stopped the jumping, but not the pleading.

"Aw come on! I've never ridden a horse before! You're so mean. I'll probably never get another chance. Please?"

Sanzo ignored his annoying ward and led the horse down the road, the other three following behind. Just around the next bend, they came to a wide path leading off the main road into the forest. Although the ground was flat and hardened by use, the branches overhead were wild and intertwining, making a dimly lit tunnel between the trees.

"What do you make of this?" Sanzo asked Hakkai, moving his head again so the horse couldn't reach his hair.

"It wasn't on the map and doesn't look like a normal town road," Hakkai answered. "But anything this well-traveled has to lead somewhere. A wealthy farmer, perhaps?"

"And possibly a wealthy farmer's daughter?" Gojyo added, a twinkle in his eye. "At least it's a damn sight closer than that town you talked about."

Goku's stomach grumbled. "As long as it has food. I'm about to die over here!"

Sanzo ignored the complaint and gave the horse's reins a tug. They walked down the dark path, alert for any signs of an ambush or trap. As the entrance to the main road diminished behind them, the horse became more and more skittish.

"Damn it!" Sanzo cursed when the beast bumped him for the fifth time. "Keep this up and I'll let Goku eat you!"

"Really?" Goku trotted up next to Sanzo and looked the horse over from top to bottom. "I'll bet it'd make a great stew!"

The horse's eyes widened as she detected the hungry look on the boy's face. With a nervous whinny, she settled down and walked meekly beside the priest, her head drooped in defeat.

"I think it's going to get dark before we reach the end of this," Hakkai pointed out.

"How can you tell?" Gojyo asked. "It's looked like dusk since we entered this cozy little trail."

Goku stopped walking and put his nose in the air. "I think…" He sniffed. "I think...I smell food!" In his excitement, he ran ahead of the others and was soon lost to the deepening shadows.

"Where are you going, you damn monkey?" Gojyo called out after him. "Sanzo, why don't you keep your pet on a leash? He could end up biting someone one day."

"Shut up or die."

"Well, I'm not going to run after him. If he gets lost, that's his own damn fault."

"I don't think you have to worry about that," Hakkai said. "I'm beginning to smell a cooking fire as well. We must be getting close."

"About damn time," Gojyo muttered.

"What's wrong, Hakuryuu?" Hakkai asked the shaking dragon around his neck. The dragon slid from his perch around Hakkai's neck and down under the sash draped over his shoulder, huddling close with only his tail sticking out. "That's odd. I don't remember Hakuryuu ever being so afraid he wouldn't fly away. I wonder what could possibly be at the end of this path that would make him so nervous."

"Be on your guard," Sanzo warned, slipping his hand beneath his robe to clutch his gun. "We're about to find out."


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

The trees suddenly opened up and they found themselves at the top of a large hill. Before them, under the waning sunset light, was a vast expanse of land, stripped bare of trees and nearly covered with tents and quickly erected, crude huts all the way down into the valley and up the other side. Campfires dotted the landscape like stars, filling the entire area with an eerie, flickering glow.

Goku came running up to them. "Have you ever seen so many people camping in one place before? It's like one giant party!"

"Or army," Gojyo added.

"It certainly doesn't look like any battalion I recognize," said Hakkai. "It's too chaotic to be military."

"And it isn't demon," Sanzo said, "but I'm getting a strange feeling. Gojyo, take Goku and find out what's going on.

"Why should we have to go, you lazy monk?"

"You want to hold the reins?" The horse pawed the ground nervously, tossing her head against Sanzo's hold.

"Fine. Come on, chimp. Maybe if you do some tricks for the crowd they'll toss us some money or food or something."

"Shut up, you stupid…" he paused and his eyes lit up in hope. "Food? Really?" They headed for the nearest campfire.

Goku turned to Hakkai. "How's Hakuryuu?"

Hakkai stroked the shaking dragon, unable to coax him out from under the sash. "He's still very frightened. I don't understand why."

"Hey! That's my horse." A young man ran up the hill towards them. By his richly made garments, they could tell he wasn't from around here. "I've been looking everywhere. Where did you find her?""

"She was back on the main road," Hakkai answered.

"She doesn't seem to like this place," Sanzo remarked, handing over the reins. The horse didn't want to leave the monk's side. Her owner took a hand-make mask from his belt and fitted it over the horse's face. She was instantly calmer, with slight tremors running across her flanks like waves.

"None of the animals do," the newcomer admitted. "Don't know why. It's been that way since I got here. We all just cover their eyes. Without sight they're calmer and easier to handle. Otherwise they could hurt themselves."

"Hakkai."

"I'm on it." Hakkai took a handkerchief from his pocket. "Sorry old friend. But it's for your own good." Gently, he wrapped the handkerchief around the dragon's head, careful to keep the eyes covered while leaving room for him to open his mouth. Hakuryuu allowed himself to be extracted from Hakkai's clothing and nestled comfortably in his friend's arms.

"Sanzo! You won't believe what's going on!" Goku called, running back to the small group.

"Seems everyone's camped out here because of some chick," Gojyo said with a laugh.

"Don't you dare speak so vulgar about the most beautiful creature under the heavens!" the rich man scolded.

Hakkai's eyebrows furrowed in confusion. "A beautiful woman? That's why you're all here?"

"That's right," the man confirmed. "Once news spread of her captivating beauty, our numbers grew. Most have been here for months...some of us for years...waiting patiently for a mere glimpse of her."

"You've been camping here for that long just to look at a pretty face?" Sanzo sneered, turning his back on the group as he lost interest.

"Yeah, why waste your time?" Gojyo added. "I mean, come on! There are gorgeous girls all over the world."

"Not like the fair Lady Kaguya! She's perfect in every way. I gladly gave up my dull, simple life just to be near where she rests her beautiful head."

"What could be more boring than sitting around with a bunch of other guys hoping to catch sight of a woman? I just don't get it," Gojyo said.

The rich man sighed happily. "You would if you saw her. Actually, you're in luck. In a few hours Lady Kaguya will be making an appearance. When the full moon is directly overhead, she comes to the lake and graces us with a song. It's one of the few opportunities to see her face. The rest of the time, she stays hidden away in her house."

"So everyone turns out to hear her song and see her beauty?" Goku asked, scratching his head in confusion. "How many stay here the rest of the time?"

"So far, everyone who has seen her."

"But what about the rest of their lives?" Hakkai asked. "Family? Jobs?"

"Those things are meaningless compared to being near Lady Kaguya. I would gladly give everything I own just to be noticed by her. We've all tried to gain her favor, but she's refused to even speak to anyone, so far. The one she finally chooses for her husband will be the luckiest man since the beginning of time!"

"So you're all hoping to picked? How much longer can you be expected to wait?" Hakkai asked.

"Her father has announced she is to marry within the year. But I wouldn't mind waiting an entire lifetime for her."

"So who's her father? Some rich landowner or royalty of some kind?" Gojyo asked.

"Oh, no. She's the beloved daughter of a simple woodcutter. An old man who is nearing the end of his life and would like to see his only child happily married and well provided for before he dies."

"A man that old with a beautiful, young daughter? Way to go, gramps!" Gojyo joked, giving a thumb's up sign.

"It's no laughing matter!" the man snapped. "It's said the gods themselves bestowed Lady Kaguya to the world."

Sanzo's head snapped up, suddenly interested in the conversation. "Gods?"

"That's right. They blessed the woodcutter's remaining years with a perfect, devoted child."

"What are you thinking, Sanzo?" Hakkai asked, quietly.

"I think this is all very suspicious," Sanzo admitted.

"Well, it's getting late," the man said. "The least I could do for returning my horse is offer you some food. It's not much of a reward, but it doesn't look like you four have any provisions with you."

"You wouldn't happen to have any extra shelter, would you?" Hakkai asked, hopefully. "We were hoping to make it to the next town, but…"

"There are a couple empty tents I know of from men who have gone out hunting and never returned. I'll point them out to you on the way. By the way, my name is Kensaku."

They followed Kensaku and his horse through the crowded hillside toward the lake. There was a general buzz of excitement emanating from the anxious men they passed. Goku flitted from campfire to campfire, asking what everyone was cooking, while the rest studied their surroundings, searching for danger.

"Something doesn't seem right to me," Gojyo announced. "I mean all these guys in one place with nothing to do...a girl involved...you'd think there'd be a lot of fighting. But everyone here seems...happy."

"Well, we're all here for the same purpose. Why would we fight?" Kensaku asked with a shrug.

"You mean there's no hostility among the men at all?" Hakkai asked. "No jealousy, stealing, disagreements, drunken arguments...general displays of strength and power?"

"Lady Kaguya wouldn't approve of it, so we don't do it," he answered simply. "And there's no alcohol here, so no one is tempted to do anything that might make Lady Kaguya upset."

At the mention of no alcohol, Gojyo turned around to head back toward the main road. Sanzo grabbed a handful of his hair and pulled him back.

"You're not going anywhere," Sanzo threatened.

"But...but there's no alcohol," Gojyo whined, following sadly behind Sanzo rather than have his hair yanked out by the roots.

"Here's my tent," Kensaku announced, handing the horse's reins to an elderly man standing in front of the largest tent any of them had ever seen. It was the size of a cottage yet made out of giant tapestries depicting scenes of battles as well as landscapes and celebrations. The images were extremely lifelike and the needlework impressive on such a massive scale.

"You're not from around here are you?" Gojyo asked as they entered the tent's main room. Large, silk pillows of all colors littered the floor surrounding a low table circling a fire in the center of the room. A boy dressed in simple clothes was tending the fire and stirring the contents of the pot hanging above it.

"No, I'm not, " he confirmed, gesturing for the others to make themselves comfortable on the pillows. "I'm actually from the West. I was travelling East to find new places to trade when I came across the story of the woodcutter and his beautiful daughter. I stopped just hoping to sell goods, and ended up staying."

"From the West headed East. And here we're from the East headed West," Hakkai said, draping the calmer Hakuryuu around his neck where he settled down to nap.

"Heading West? Aren't you worried about the demons? They're much worse the farther you go West, you know."

"That's kinda the point," Goku said, making himself comfortable at the table around the fire. He sniffed deeply of the aroma from the pot. "Mmm. This smells really good. Did you make this?" he asked the other boy, who just smiled politely.

The servant boy was kept busy filling and refilling plates of bread and bowls of stew until the pot was finally empty. The final bowl being set in front of the rich man who left it untouched.

"Are you going to eat that last bowl mister?" Goku asked.

"No, I'm not," he answered. Before Goku could reach for it, the man nodded to the servant who took the bowl to the corner of the room and began devouring its contents. "The last bowl I always give to Gen," he explained. "For all his hard work."

"If you really appreciated his work," Sanzo said, "you would allow him more than a single bowl of stew."

"Now Sanzo, let's not be ungrateful for the hospitality," Hakkai said. He turned to the man and bowed. "Thank you for sharing your meal." He then turned to the boy and bowed even lower. "The meal was delicious, Gen. Thank you very much."

"Very subtle, Hakkai," Gojyo whispered, grinning at the Kensaku's indignation.

"It is my specialty," he whispered back, winking his good eye.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

The older servant silently entered the tent and bowed low to his master.

"It's nearly time," Kensaku announced, getting to his feet. "Come and I'll show you why we're all waiting here. I have the best viewing spot."

"I'll bet you do," Sanzo mumbled, following the man outside. It was now full dark, yet the campfires were being extinguished all along the valley. Only the light of the full moon, just clearing the trees, allowed them to follow the well worn path from the large tent to a small cliff along the lake.

"That's the woodcutter's house," he explained, pointing to a small cottage next to the lake. It was a sturdy, well-built structure with a dock jutting out over the water. A small fishing boat bobbed silently beside it.

Goku tugged on Sanzo's sleeve. "Sanzo, I feel funny."

"Maybe you ate too much stew," Sanzo said, jerking his sleeve free from Goku's grip.

"No. I mean I really feel something...strange." He took hold of the monk's sleeve again like it was a security blanket.

Sanzo finally looked down and realized there was definitely something wrong with Goku. His eyes were so wide, they could see the whites around the golden irises which were narrowed by the dilated pupils. His breathing was shallow, quick and uneven, like his chest was being constricted, and a slight tremor ran throughout his body.

"Goku? What's wrong?" Hakkai asked. He reached out to touch Goku's shoulder but withdrew before making contact, shaking his hand as if it had been burned. "It's like he's supercharged with energy. I can't even touch him."

"Here she comes!" Kensaku announced in excitement, oblivious to his guest's condition.

A hush fell over the crowd of men milling around the lake as the cottage door opened. A bright light issued from inside, illuminating the dock and the water beneath it. As a figure stepped out into the moonlit night, they realized the light didn't come from a lantern, but was actually emanating directly from a young woman. From her silver-white hair and creamy skin to her pure white kimono, she glowed with a soft, inner light.

"Where's that light coming from?" Gojyo asked their host.

"What light?" he answered dreamily.

Goku stopped breathing and dropped weakly to his knees, clutching Sanzo's hand in a death grip. He stared at the glowing creature below as she made her way to the end of the dock. Tucking her kimono properly around her legs, she knelt on the weathered wood and tipped her head up to the moon.

"Goku! Goku!"

But Goku was deaf to Sanzo's voice as the fair maiden began to sing. Her voice was as soft and pure as her light, carrying across the lake and through the valley effortlessly. Although they couldn't understand the words she sang, the melody was beautifully sad.

"Cover your ears!" Hakkai ordered, clapping his hands over his own. "Her song is hypnotizing them!"

Gojyo managed to shake off the feeling of surrendering to the music's magic with a sharp jab to the chest by Hakkai's elbow. Quickly, he covered his ears. He could still hear the song, but the overwhelming urge to pledge his undying faithfulness to this mysterious woman faded. He looked around at all the other men standing as if frozen in a blank state of bliss and breathed a sigh of relief at Hakkai's quick thinking.

"Goku! Let go!" Sanzo tried to pull his numb hand from Goku's vise-like grip, but the boy was petrified. Unable to cover both ears, he did the next best thing and began to chant the Heart Sutra to protect himself and, hopefully, Goku.

As if in a daze, Goku rose to his feet, releasing Sanzo, and suddenly leapt off the small cliff into the water. The girl's song ended abruptly and the entire valley was plunged into silence. Hakkai and Gojyo carefully removed their hands from their ears and looked questioningly at Sanzo, who simply rolled his eyes at Goku's impetuousness.

"What's going on?" Kensaku asked no one in particular as he woke from the hypnotic effects. "The song wasn't done. Why did she stop singing?"

Goku's head resurfaced just below where Lady Kaguya knelt. She leaned over to look down at him, so they couldn't see the expression on her face at the rude interruption. After bobbing in the water a minute, Goku pulled himself into the fishing boat and sat, cross legged, as if waiting for her to continue. With an uncertain glance up at the moon, she returned her gaze to the boy below her and began a new song. One filled with hope and happiness.

"Do we need to cover our ears again?" Gojyo asked Hakkai, hands at the ready.

"No," Sanzo answered. "This song is different. Look." He tipped his head toward the gathered men. Instead of the mindless throng during the first song, everyone was listening intently to the second song, yet reacting as individuals. Some were smiling with happiness, some with sadness. There were tears of sorrow and tears of joy. A few even turned away from the sight at the lake and headed back to their tents.

"It's so beautiful," Kensaku declared. "It makes me think of home and the family I've been away from for so long."

Hakkai nodded. "It's sentimental, but not dangerous. I wonder what she's saying and what language it's in."

"Chances are, she's not from around here, either," Sanzo said.

"You really think she's a gift from the gods? Like she's actually from heaven?" Gojyo asked.

Sanzo shook his head. "I really don't know. In any case, we'd better go collect that stupid monkey before he gets into more trouble."

"Told you he needed a leash," Gojyo said.

"Shut up!" Sanzo growled.

The girl's song ended just as Sanzo, Hakkai, and Gojyo reached the woodcutter's cottage. The door opened before Hakkai could reach up to knock.

"I knew you would be coming for her one day," the old man said with a sad tremor in his voice. "I just hoped it would be after I was gone."

"Coming for her? I think you have us mistaken for someone else," Hakkai corrected.

"We're not here for your daughter, we're here for the idiot in your boat," Sanzo added.

"Then he's the one who came to take my Kaguya away?"

"Not if I have any say," Sanzo grumbled. "Goku!" He yelled in the direction of the dock. "Get your ass over here. We're leaving."

Goku appeared around the side of the cottage, looking over his shoulder as if he couldn't take his eyes off the vision in white still on the dock. He paused before looking up at his master and friend. "No."

"What do you mean no?" Sanzo asked from between clenched teeth. His hands were balled into fists in an attempt to control his anger.

"No. I'm not leaving. You can go on without me." Goku answered as if in a daze. He turned his back on the one man he admired most in the world, the man who saved him from an eternity of solitude, and strolled back around the cottage.

"Why that little…"

"Hold on Sanzo." Hakkai grabbed Sanzo's wrist before he could go for his gun. "Why don't we find out exactly what's going on here before you start shooting people. May we come inside?" he asked the old man. "It seems we've gathered a small crowd."

They all looked around, surprised to see a sizable number of onlookers. Now that the song didn't seem to be keeping them under its spell, the waiting men were becoming bolder, wondering why the four new men were able to approach the house when they'd been turned away so many times.

"I apologize. I've gotten so used to keeping everyone at a distance, I've forgotten my manners. My name is Miyatsuko," he said with a bow and opened the door wider. "Please come inside."

The inside of the house was filled with gifts from the daughter's hopeful suitors. Jewelry, trinkets, and robes were piled in haphazard stacks that looked like they could collapse at any moment. Miyatsuko saw them raise their eyebrows at the mess and nodded his head.

"I know," he said, waving the group to sit on home-crafted, wooden chairs and benches. "But I couldn't refuse them. Kaguya wouldn't let me. She keeps saying I'll need the extra money when she's gone."

"Gone? You mean when she marries?" Hakkai asked.

Miyatsuko sadly shook his head. "That's what I'd like to believe. But she's convinced she's going back to where she came from."

"You mean to the gods?" Sanzo asked with a sarcastic snort of disbelief.

"In a way...yes," he answered. "She's originally from the moon. At least that's what she's said since she was old enough to talk."

"The moon?" Gojyo asked, trying to suppress his laughter. "And you believe her?"

Sanzo ignored the half demon's outburst. "If she's really from the moon, how did she end up here?"

"My wife and I weren't able to have children of our own," he explained. "We prayed and prayed to Buddha, but our prayers were never answered. When we were finally too old to have children, we gave up on Buddha and stopped praying. We resigned ourselves to living the last of our days with just each other to love. And then my wife got sick and passed away, leaving me all alone."

"How sad," Hakkai said.

"It was then I found her, my little Kaguya, lying in a patch of moonlight on the stump of a tree I'd just cut that day. She was the most beautiful, tiny thing I'd ever seen. When I got her home, I realized the glow of her fair skin wasn't just a reflection of the moon. She glows like the moon itself. Brightest during the full moon, not at all when the moon is dark."

"She really does seem to have a connection to the moon then." Hakkai stroked Hakuryuu's long neck. The dragon woke long enough to give a nervous squawk, then buried his head under his wing and settled back to sleep. "Is that the language she was singing in? Are you aware of the effects it's having on all those men out there?"

Miyatsuko nodded sadly. "It's unfortunate. But you must believe neither of us want this attention. Kaguya sings the same, sad song to every full moon. Always has. It was only in the last few years her singing became magical. It wasn't bad when there were only a few men out there, but now…" he paused and wiped a hand across his forehead, "...it's gotten completely out of control."

"It could be worse. A lot worse." Sanzo said.

Hakkai nodded. "At least they all seem peaceful enough. The hypnotising effects keep them here, but at least it sounds like no one oversteps their bounds. So many love-smitten men around such a beautiful, young woman..." he let the horrible thought go unspoken.

Gojyo, who'd been wandering aimlessly around the room, inspecting all the useless items a woodcutter would never be able to use, paused by a window overlooking the back of the cottage. He gave a snort of unbelief at the sight of Goku sitting cross legged on the ground, staring up at Kaguya with rapt attention as she brushed out her long, silver hair.

"Your monkey is still making googoo eyes at the moon girl, Sanzo."

"Great!" Sanzo sighed and rubbed his aching forehead as he joined Gojyo at the window. "We don't have time for this sappy nonsense."

"Kaguya's never even shown the slightest interest in any of the men who've come to call. Even the king himself tried his best to gain her favor. The closest she allowed him to get to her was to answer his letters with polite refusals." They watched Goku scoot himself closer and closer until his chin rested on her knee. "She's never let anyone sit so close as your friend. Maybe he's the one she'll finally agree to marry and make her forget about returning to the moon."

"We'll see about that!" Sanzo hissed as he threw open the back door. "Come on, monkey! We don't have time for this. You have two choices. Either you leave peacefully or I shoot you and drag you out."

"You'll have to shoot me," Goku said, his head nestled on Kaguya's lap. She reached down and began stroking his hair. He sighed happily and closed his eyes in complete peace.

"Kaguya," her father called from the doorway. "It's time for tea. Why don't you invite your new friend in to try the biscuits you made today?"

"Biscuits?" Goku's head snapped up at the mention of food, and he tugged at Kaguya's sleeves. "I want to try your biscuits. Please, please, please?"

Kaguya smiled down at him as she gracefully stood, and Goku jumped to his feet. Standing side by side, Goku was a few inches taller than the delicate, glowing girl. Without a word, she took his hand and lead him into the house while he followed like an eager puppy.

"This could be a problem," Hakkai said. "We really do need Goku. And we can't safely take Kaguya with us to the West. We'll have to find some way to separate them...peacefully," he added when he saw Sanzo reach for his gun.

"Can we talk about his later?" Gojyo asked, looking longingly at the house. "Since the old man mentioned biscuits, I'm suddenly starving!"

Hakkai raised an eyebrow at Sanzo. "Wouldn't hurt to let Goku be happy...at least for a day or two. He seldom asks for anything for himself."

"Except food." Sanzo gave a deep sigh and crossed his arms. "Fine. We'll drop it for tonight. But I'm not going to just sit around watching him waste our time while he plays house with his new girlfriend. I'm going back to my tent." He turned to leave, only to be stopped by the alluring scent of fresh tea and hot biscuits wafted from the house. Even after the filling stew, his stomach growled loudly. "After some tea."


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

They all sat around the table as Kaguya served them each tea and made sure the plate of biscuits and bowl of fruit preserves were refilled. In the brightly lit room, her skin didn't glow as noticeably. Goku ate as ravenously as usual, yet was somehow able to keep an eye on her the entire time.

"So your father tells us you believe you came from the moon," Hakkai said, accepting another cupful of tea.

"I don't just believe," she answered in a soft voice with a slight, unrecognizable accent. "It is where I'm from."

"But how?" Gojyo interjected. "I mean you were just a baby when you were found, right?"

"I came here in the form of an infant, but I still remember my life on the moon. I remember everything." She paused a moment, her eyebrows furrowing slightly. "Everything but the reason I was banished." Without further explanation, she returned to the kitchen with Goku following close behind. They sat together on the edge of the dock with their legs dangling in the water.

"I'm going to bed," Sanzo announced suddenly. The other two gave each other a look of understanding.

"I wouldn't worry too much. I'm sure he's still your pet." The click of Sanzo's gun didn't even make Gojyo wince. He lit a fresh cigarette and blew out a long stream of smoke before casually pushing the barrel away from his face. "Come on, Sanzo. You've been the center of Goku's universe for years now. It's only natural to feel jealous when you've been replaced. But I can't picture him ever turning his back on you for good."

"Just think of him as a rebellious teenager," Hakkai added. "He may only have eyes for the girl right now, but he'd never forget his family. Give him a little time and let him experience independence for a bit. It seems pretty safe here, and Hakuryuu could use a break. We all could."

Sanzo sighed and stowed his gun back inside his robe. "Fine. Let the monkey have his tryst while Kougaiji resurrects Gyumaoh and unleashes chaos on the world. At least I can get away from you three for a while." Just as Sanzo reached the door, a tremble ran through the ground, shaking the cottage. The precarious stacks of gifts toppled and dishes crashed to the floor.

"What the hell?" Gojyo yelled, dodging a box of China teacups. "Let's get outta here before the whole place comes down on us!" They made their way shakily to the back door and out to the dock just as pieces of the roof fell in crumbles behind them.

"What the hell?" Sanzo echoed at the sight of Goku and Kaguya kissing in a tight embrace, oblivious to the shaking ground. At the monk's shout, the two broke apart with identical guilty expressions. Immediately, the trembling stopped.

"Oh, hey, Sanzo," Goku said, scratching the back of his head with an embarrassed laugh. He then noticed the pieces of missing roof and the crack running across the wall of the cottage. "What happened to the house? Did Gojyo lose his cool and punch the wall or something?"

"Goku, are you telling me you didn't just feel the ground shake?" Hakkai asked.

Goku blushed and grinned. "Hakkai! Don't make a guy kiss and tell!"

"He doesn't mean from the smooch, stupid," Gojyo said, giving Goku a playful swat in the head. "He means the earthquake."

"Earthquake?"

"You mean you really didn't feel the ground shaking at all?" Hakkai asked.

"I'm saying I have no idea what you guys are talking about!"

"Hakkai, I know that look," Gojyo said. "You have at least an idea of what's going on don't you?"

"I have a theory," he admitted.

"So by all means keep us in the dark," Sanzo muttered sarcastically.

"By what Miyatsuko believes, Kaguya is a child of the moon. Goku was born from the earth. These two heavenly bodies are attracted to each other...the moon circling the earth in a constant and predictable path. But the moon also has an effect on the earth. The tides, for instance, are controlled by the pull of the moon."

Hakkai paused, waiting to see if anyone else made it to the same conclusion he had. Everyone just stared blankly at him.

"I have no idea what you're saying," Goku admitted.

"Yeah," Gojyo added. "What kind of fairy tale book have you been reading? Sounds like a load of bull to me."

"I'm serious," Hakkai said. "Scientist and philosophers from all over have been proving this fact."

"So you're saying Goku and Kaguya are attracted to each other? Doesn't take a philosopher to figure that one out." Sanzo sighed.

"I'm saying," Hakkai continued patiently, "that Goku and Kaguya are naturally drawn to each other just as the earth and moon are drawn to each other. Goku wasn't just hypnotised by her song like the other men. He was experiencing physical signs before she even showed herself. He practically vibrated with energy. The problem is that the earth and moon were never meant to meet. To do so would be catastrophic."

"So you're saying Goku and Kaguya are also never meant to be together?" Sanzo asked.

"I'm saying there is a definite possibility that their...attraction...could have a physical, adverse affect on the world as we know it."

"I'm still lost," Goku complained. "Can you talk so you make sense?"

"He's saying if you and Kaguya hook up, it could do more than just rock your worlds," Gojyo explained. "You two could possibly destroy the earth."

"And possibly the moon as well," Hakkai added. "If my theory holds true, I'm sure there was also a reaction there as well."

"Then my moon parents would also know," Kaguya said, a panicked look in her eyes. She clutched at Goku's arm. "They will come for me. They will take me away from you."

"Oh, no they won't!" Goku promised. "They'll have to go through me first. And I won't let anyone take anything away from me."

"You idiot monkey! Are you really going to fight her parents?" Sanzo snapped.

"If they banished her, they shouldn't have any more claim to her," Goku replied.

"Just hang on, now. Why would your moon family come for you now after all this time?" Gojyo asked.

Kaguya looked up at the moon shining high overhead. "I may not remember why I was banished, but I've been pleading in song during every full moon to be allowed to return home. And at the end of every song I received the same reply, 'We have not heard your heart.' If we have affected the moon in this way," she added with a wave toward the broken cottage, "they have heard me. They will come, and now I don't want to return."

Goku wrapped his arms securely around her tiny frame. "If you want to stay, I'll make sure you do. No matter what," he promised.

"Then you must leave," Miyatsuko announced. He turned to Sanzo with tears in his eyes. "Please take her with you. Take her far away from here where they can't find her. I know you could keep her safe. I'd give everything I have if she could stay on earth and be happy with Goku. It's all I ever wanted for her."

"It wouldn't matter where she went," Sanzo said. "The moon is everywhere. If they wanted to find her, they would. It's not worth the trouble, especially if they're eventually going to destroy the world anyway."

"Wow. That's cold, Sanzo," Gojyo said. "Just because you're not interested in women doesn't mean they're not important to the rest of us. Don't you have at least one romantic bone in your body? We could at least give it a try."

Hakkai laid a hand on Gojyo's shoulder. "I agree with Sanzo. Running won't help the situation. The best we can do is wait and see if the moon people show up at all. Then we should try negotiating with them first," he added with a pointed look at Goku. "Maybe we can talk them into letting her stay. They may even know a way for the two of them to safely be together."

"I guess that makes sense," Gojyo replied. "So what should we do while we wait?"

"I have a feeling we'll be busy enough," Sanzo said, drawing his gun. Hakkai and Gojyo soon noticed the approaching horde of demons as well. "I'm not sure what's been keeping the demons from this human buffet until now, but obviously something's changed."

"Those men out there are sitting ducks," Gojyo said, conjuring his metal shakujo.

Hakkai handed Hakuryuu to Goku. "Stay with Kaguya and her father. We should be able to handle this."

The men on the outskirts of the clearing heard the crashing through the underbrush of the forest before they saw the red eyes glowing in the darkness. In a panic, they left their campsites and ran down toward the center of the valley, knocking others out of their way and trampling over those who had fallen.

"Head to the lake," Gojyo and Hakkai called out over the crowd as they helped as many men to their feet as they could while struggling through the oncoming throng.

"Gojyo, take the left side. Hakkai, go right," Sanzo ordered.

"Will they be safe?" Kaguya asked Goku from where she hid behind him.

"They'll be fine," he reassured her as the fight began with a flurry of slashes, blasts, and gunshots. "We've been surrounded by a bigger group of demons than this."

Suddenly, Hakuryuu began to thrash in Goku's arms. "Hey! Settle down, Hakuryuu! What's the matter?" The dragon's movements dislodged the makeshift blindfold and he broke free of Goku's grasp. Flapping his wings erratically in panic, he barely made it over the group of frightened men before crashing to the ground where he instantly turned into his jeep form and sped off into the forest.

"That was weird. I wonder what made him…" Goku froze as a bright, sparkling, silver shaft of light appeared at the end of the dock. They watched, breathless, as cloudy figures descended the beam of light, taking the solid shapes of people as their feet touched the worn wood.

"They have come!" Kaguya whispered in fear and clutched Goku's arm tighter.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

The first moon people to approach were dressed in white military armour, their heads shaved smooth. They marched forward and formed two rows, flanking the path for a richly dressed couple in flowing, white robes edged in silver. Their hair was the same color silver as Kaguya's, the woman's worn in an elaborately braided bun, the man's pulled back in a severe ponytail. All of them glowed even brighter than Kaguya.

"Mother? Father?" Kaguya slowly ventured out from behind Goku.

"Come forward," her father commanded. Kaguya obediently went to her parents and formally knelt at their feet. Goku moved to join her, but two of the guards quickly moved to block him with swords drawn.

Her mother looked down at Goku as if he were nothing but an annoying insect before turning her attention to Miyatsuko. "Come forward," she commanded. The guards allowed Miyatsuko to join his adopted daughter kneeling at their feet.

"I must thank you for protecting our daughter while she served her penance on earth," her father said.

"Kaguya was a devoted and loving daughter to me," Miyatsuko answered. "I couldn't have asked for more."

"Of course," her mother interrupted. "'I'm certain she was a model child. Now her sentence is complete and she will be returning to the moon."

"No!" Goku cried out, unable to stop himself. He jumped over the guards and landed to kneel next to Kaguya. Her parents looked surprised by his actions, but not the least bit afraid. "Please don't take her. Let her stay on earth. At least for awhile? I'll take good care of her."

Her father sneered down at him. "Let her stay? On this filthy, miserable planet? Why would I even consider such an act? She is from the moon and she will return to the moon where she belongs."

"But we just met! You can't take Kaguya away from me now!"

"'Can't?' How dare you presume to tell us what we can or cannot do," her mother said. "She is our daughter and she will do as we command."

"But I love him!"

Kaguya's outburst surprised her parents even more than Goku's. They stared down at her as if seeing her for the first time. Under their close scrutiny, Kaguya visibly shrank and dropped her gaze back to the ground. Goku put a protective arm across her back.

"I feared this," her mother said with a sigh. "Our daughter has been infected. Bring the elixir and robe! She needs to be cleansed and forget this place before returning home."

Two guards brought forth a crystal bottle filled with a pale, glowing liquid and a robe covered in pure white feathers. Goku grabbed Kaguya and backed them away from the moon people, conjuring his staff to be ready for a fight.

"No! I love Kaguya, too, and I won't let you cleanse or make her forget anything!"

"Goku! No!"

Hakkai, Gojyo, and Sanzo came running around the side of the cottage, their clothes splattered with demon blood, and stopped beside the couple. Sanzo laid his hand on Goku's arm, lowering the staff. Hakkai stepped between them and Kaguya's parents.

"Sir? Ma'am? May I speak?" Hakkai asked formally with a slight bow.

"If you believe you could succeed in convincing us to allow our daughter to continue existing on this teeming rock, prepare to be sadly mistaken," her father said.

"We would not dream of depriving you of your daughter," Hakkai continued. "We only wish to negotiate her time of departure. I understand it would be an inconvenience, but could you allow her to remain with her adopted earth father just a little longer? Surely a day or two more is not out of the question."

"A day or two?" her father roared. "You ask the impossible! Travel between our worlds is only allowed during the full moon. We would have to wait a full cycle to return."

"Then leave her here a month."

"A month!" Sanzo hissed. "We are not hanging around here an entire month!"

"Impossible! Do you have any idea what damage could be wrought on both our worlds? Do you not comprehend the danger of allowing these two to remain together? Not only would the native species of lifeforms be driven insane, but the integrity of the planet's very foundation would be compromised."

"Have you not noticed any strange behavior in the local animals around this place?" her mother asked Miyatsuko.

"Yes, I have noticed," he replied, then turned to Goku and his friends. "No animal can stand being around Kaguya, especially when she's glowing."

"And what of the behavior of those you call 'demons'?" her mother continued.

"There have been demon attacks in all the towns near here, but this valley has been left untouched."

"Until now," Gojyo commented.

Hakkai nodded. "And they were definitely more agitated than we've ever seen them."

"Conditions will only worsen the longer they remain in close proximity," her father confirmed. "And I believe you have already witnessed a small sample of the destruction their physical union would unleash on the earth."

Hakkai gave the moon people a bow and turned back to Goku and Kaguya. "I'm sorry, you two. There's nothing we can do. Goku, you're going to have to let Kaguya return with her family. It's the only way."

"No," Goku whispered shaking his head in disbelief and betrayal. He backed away from them, holding Kaguya tight to his side with one hand, his staff at the ready with the other. "No. No! NO!"

"Goku!" Sanzo snapped. "Stop acting like a spoiled child. You know they're right. You know there's no way under heaven you can be together. Just grow up and say your goodbyes."

"No! You just don't understand! You can't feel how much I need her...like she's a part of me I just can't live without! Like our hearts joined together the moment we first touched. I can't even bear the thought of letting her out of my sight! Taking her away from me now will kill me! It could kill us both!" Goku continued to back slowly away from the group.

"Enough!"

Bright light flashed from the moon couple's hands, briefly blinding all the earthlings. When their vision finally cleared, they realized the diversion was to let the guards close in on Goku and Kaguya. One guard was restraining Kaguya while two more were attempting to pull Goku away. Goku struggled with all his might, but the guards held both his arms and had his own staff pressed firmly to his neck.

"Goku! Stop fighting!" Gojyo yelled.

"Watch his head!" Hakkai warned.

"Get out of the way!" Sanzo shouted as the diadem around Goku's head was knocked to the ground. Too late, the guards realized something was wrong with their prisoner. Goku flung his arms out, sending the guard flying through the air. One crashed into the already compromised house, making the rest of the roof collapse inward. The other landed in the lake with a great splash. Without the power limiter, Goku began to change into his pure demon form.

"Gojyo!" Sanzo called over the piercing screams of the rapidly changing Goku. "Try and hold him still while I get his band back on!"

"Shit. I was afraid you were going to say that." Gojyo summoned his staff and cautiously advanced.

Goku suddenly went quiet and spun around to face his friends, a murderous glint in his golden eyes. He scooped up his coronet before Sanzo could reach it and leaped over Gojyo. Hakkai created a barrier of energy to block Goku from advancing on Kaguya and her parents.

"See what you claim to love, daughter," her mother said. "This is the true visage of those existing on this planet. Vicious, bloodthirsty, and uncontrollable. How can you possibly feel any affection toward something so vile?"

Kaguya looked from her parents to the growling demon crouched before her. She took in his sharp claws, flowing hair, bared fangs, and pointed ears. But when she looked deep into his demonic gold eyes, she knew what she must do. Driving her elbow hard into the guard's stomach, she broke his hold and dashed around Hakkai's barrier straight toward Goku.

"Kaguya! Stay away!" Miyatsuko yelled, fearing his daughter would be ripped to shreds. Goku picked Kaguya up in his arms and backed toward the lake.

"Goku! Drop the girl!"Sanzo ordered, cocking his gun. "Don't make me shoot!"

With a determined growl, Goku spun around and dove into the lake with Kaguya clinging to his neck. Sanzo sent a bullet into the water after them.

"No! You'll hit her!" Miyatsuko shouted, knocking Sanzo away from his target. He searched the water for them to resurface, but only saw the rippling reflection of the moon above.

"Look! Over there!" Hakkai called, pointing to a small island in the middle of the lake where Goku was emerging, still holding tight to Kaguya.

"Now what?" Gojyo asked Sanzo.

The monk sighed and waved a hand at the boat tied to the dock. "Go after them."

"No need. I'll handle this."

The amused voice echoed around them, soon accompanied by a bright beam of light streaming from heaven to surround the island. When the light dissipated and they were able to see again, the couple on the island was gone and a figure in white stood before them.

"Kanzeon," Sanzo said. "I should have known you'd stick your nose in eventually."

"You know I'm a sucker for a good romantic story," she answered with a wink and a smile.

"Where have you taken our daughter," Kaguya's father demanded.

Kanzeon dismissed them with a casual wave of her hand. "Don't worry, the love-struck kids are safe and sound. They're actually in the only place they can be together without destroying everything."

"Where?" Hakkai asked.

"It was actually Sanzo who hit the nail on the head," she continued. "He said there was no way under heaven they could be together."

"So you took them to heaven?" Sanzo asked.

"Exactly!" She finally turned to address Kaguya's moon parents. "Don't worry. I'm not planning on letting them stay. These four have a very special mission I cannot allow to be sidetracked. Even for the sake of true love. I'll return them both in the morning."

"We cannot dally that long," Kaguya's mother protested. "The window of opportunity for travel between worlds is rapidly coming to a close."

"Go ahead and head back to the moon. One of the nice things about being a god is the ability to travel wherever and whenever we choose."

"Then we shall trust your word and take our leave of this place." Kaguya's father gave the slightest of bows and the couple turned to fade back into the moonbeam, their guards close behind. As the beam faded, the valley was plunged into darkness with only the regular moon above for light.

"I didn't even get to say goodbye to her," Miyatsuko whispered with tears in his eyes. "She's gone, and I didn't even get to say goodbye."

"Don't worry, pops," Kanzeon said, laying a hand on his shoulder. The close contact with such a beautiful god made the old man's cheeks burn. "I'll be sure to bring her back for a final goodbye. But only for a minute," she warned. "We don't want to keep her dear mummy and daddy waiting. Aren't they a piece of work? The moon people have always been a looney bunch. Probably why that dear child was sent here."

"So we're just supposed to hang around and wait while Goku gets to have all the fun? Lucky bastard!" Gojyo grumbled.

"See you boys in the morning," Kanzeon said with a little wave before disappearing back to heaven.

"Well, that's gotta top the list of the weirdest nights we've ever had," Gojyo said. "What now?"

"We may as well get a good night's sleep," Hakkai suggested.

"I'd offer you a roof over your heads, but it appears I don't have much of one left," Miyatsuko sighed.

"Didn't that rich guy say there were some empty tents?" Gojyo asked.

"My guess is they're all empty now," Sanzo remarked. "But most have either been destroyed by the demon attack or trampled by all those fleeing men."

"They did leave quite a mess as they were escaping," Hakkai agreed as they looked out over the valley hillsides. "But I did notice one that appears to be completely unscathed." They all followed his glance upward to the largest tent with the best view of the lake.

Kensaku's tent appeared to be just as deserted as the rest of the valley. All possessions left behind as he and his servants fled to save their lives from the attacking demons. But as they neared the glowing embers of the fireplace, Gojyo noticed a slight tremor in a pile of pillows.

"You might as well come on out," he said, whipping off the topmost pillow. Gen cowered among the silk, looking up at them with terrified eyes.

"It's okay," Hakkai reassured him. "The demons are all gone. Where's your master?"

The boy gestured from himself to the floor. Then gestured from the place his master sat at supper to the forest.

"You mean to tell us your master told you to stay behind as he ran to save his own ass?" Gojyo asked. Gen nodded.

"Figures," Sanzo mumbled. "You can come out now. We're not going to hurt you."

Hakkai helped him to his feet. "In fact, we're looking for a place to stay tonight. Miyatsuko's house is uninhabitable at the moment."

The boy nodded eagerly, happy he didn't have to be alone the rest of the night. He scurried around the tent, providing each of them with a soft mat and a warm blanket. When the men were settled, he curled up on a tattered pillow and quickly drifted off to sleep.

"Doesn't the boy know how to speak?" Miyatsuko asked.

"I'm not sure if he can't speak or he's just never been allowed to," Sanzo answered.

Taking pity on the child, Miyatsuko slid his mat close to Gen and shared his blanket with him. In his sleep, a peaceful smile spread across the boy's face.


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

The next morning, the men awoke to the savory smells of breakfast cooking over the fire.

"Something smells amazing!" Gojyo exclaimed as he stretched the sleep from his muscles.

"You got up early and made all this yourself?" Hakkai asked.

Gen nodded with a grin and waved them over to the bowls already set at the table around the fire. He produced one tray full of various fruits, and another with different kinds of breads and jams. As they passed those around, he filled their bowls with hot, spiced porridge.

"You're pretty young to be such a good cook," Sanzo commented as he ate. Gen shrugged his shoulders. "Have you been working for your master for a long time?" Gen nodded.

"What the hell is going on here!"

Gen dropped to his hands and knees, his forehead firmly on the ground at the sound of his master's angry voice. Kensaku stormed into the tent, his elderly servant cowering in the doorway. The four men spared him a glance before going back to their breakfast.

"I wake up in the woods with my horse, my supplies, and one of my servants missing. And when I track the horse to this place, I find my servant feeding complete strangers my food in my tent!"

"Strangers?" Gojyo asked. "You mean you don't remember us?"

"Remember you? How could I remember you when I just got to this gods-forsaken country? Now get your filthy hands off my food and get out of my tent!"

"I guess we can safely assume the spell has worn off and wiped their memories of the time they spent here," Sanzo said as the men stood up from their breakfast.

"Probably for the best," Miyatsuko said with a sigh. "I know my heart will be hurting for a long time."

"Get out!" Kensaku ordered again, pointing to the door.

"All right, all right! We're going!" Gojyo said.

"And as for you!" he continued, turning his attention to Gen, still cowering at his feet. "How dare you steal my possessions and serve anyone but me?!" He kicked the boy, sending him rolling across the ground. Gen let out a squeak of pain and quickly resumed his position of humble bowing. Kensaku advanced on his servant again, an arm raised to strike Gen with the back of his fist.

"Don't you dare lay a hand on him!" Gojyo yelled, his arm cocked back to deliver a severe blow to Kensaku's face. The man gave out a terrified squeal and flinched away from the strike.

"Hang on, Gojyo," Hakkai said, holding the arm back from its intended target. "Let's try negotiating first."

"Negotiating? With this piece of…"

Hakkai continued, "Sir, this boy has been nothing but loyal to you. We apologize for the confusion and intrusion, but we cannot allow you to abuse such a good worker. So I propose a deal."

"Deal?" Kensaku asked, still keeping a wary eye on the solid first aimed at him.

"Yes, a deal. You can either release this boy from your service…"

"Now wait a minute," Sanzo interrupted. "We are not taking a kid with us, no matter how good he cooks!"

"Or?" the rich man asked.

"Or...I let Gojyo hit you."

A wicked smile spread across the water demon's face, and he flexed his muscles to their fullest extent. Kensaku flinched away, covering his head with his arms. "Go ahead and take him! I release him! Just please don't hit me!"

"Thank you," Hakkai said, a satisfied smile on his face.

Gojyo dropped his arm sadly. "Damn, I really wanted to pummel this prick."

Gen hesitantly rose to his feet, skirted warily around his former master, and joined the men at the door of the tent. With a last look around his home, he resolutely turned his back on his former life and walked out into the sunlight with his head held high.

"Now what do you intend to do with him?" Sanzo asked as they made their way back toward the cottage. Behind them, Kensaku and his remaining servant packed what riches they could carry without a horse, and fled the valley.

"Miyatsuko, how would you like to have a hard working, excellent cook stay with you for awhile?" He turned to the boy. "Miyatsuko's daughter is leaving today. He could really use a boy like you to give him a hand."

The young boy and the old man exchanged looks, each measuring the trustworthiness of the other. They came to the same conclusion at the same time, smiling and nodding.

"T-t-tan...ew," Gen managed in a slow, deliberate voice, unused to speaking. The rest looked at him, stunned to hear he was able to speak at all. "Than...yew."

"No, thank you," Miyatsuko said. "I was afraid I'd be living out the rest of my days alone. And I'm not as spry as I used to be. I could really use some help around the house."

"Yeah, but your house is more than just a little messy," Gojyo pointed out. "If I were you, I'd sell off some of those knick knacks and move."

Miyatsuko shook his head. "I built this house with my own two hands for my late wife. It wouldn't feel right abandoning it. What do you think, Gen? Think you could help me fix it up again?"

The boy nodded eagerly. "Fis. Yes."

"Now doesn't that just warm the heart?" Kanzeon said, walking around the side of the house with Kaguya following close behind and Jiroushin struggling to carry a sleeping Goku. They were all relieved to see his headband power limiter back in its proper place. "How perfect. "He gains a son just as his loses a daughter."

"About time you showed up," Sanzo grumbled. "Gojyo, take Goku. You'll have to carry him since we seem to be short one jeep."

"Ah, man! The guy with weighs a ton when he's asleep," the half demon complained.

"Looks like you won't have to walk after all," Kanzeon said, pointing to a figure emerging from the trees. Kensaku's horse timidly walked out into the clearing, Hakuryuu perched on his back. When the horse saw Sanzo, he trotted over excitedly and began nosing at the straw colored hair.

"Try that again and I really will let Goku eat you!" he said, pushing the affectionate horse's nose away before she could latch onto a chunk of hair.

"Hmm, looks like the horse's owner has already left," Hakkai noticed. He turned back to Miyatsuko. "I don't suppose you'd mind caring for a lost horse as well, would you?" Gen eagerly stepped forward to retrieve the reins, and the horse gently nudged the boy's shoulder until he scratched behind her ears.

Hakuryuu flew once around Hakkai's head, chirping his apologies for running away, then transformed back into his jeep form. Jiroushin gratefully deposited the sleeping Goku in the back seat and rubbed his aching back as he rejoined Kanzeon.

Miyatsuko took hold of his adopted daughter's hands. "Does she really have to go?" he asked the goddess. "Isn't there any way she could stay?"

"I'm afraid not. Kaguya must return to her own world. There is no other way. I'm taking a chance just bringing her to say goodbye, but as long as lover boy over there is sleeping, is seems safe enough."

Miyatsuko and Kaguya shared a tearful goodbye hug. "I love you, daughter. Thank you for so many years of happiness. I'll never forget you," he promised.

"I wish I could say the same, but they are waiting for me with the elixir to purify me and the robe that will erase my memories of my time here. Then, I will go back to my old life on the moon," she added sadly. She kissed Miyatsuko on the cheek and gave him one last hug before going over to the sleeping Goku.

She picked up his limp hand and held it tenderly to her cheek. "You may soon be gone from my mind, Goku, but never from my heart. I hope it's the same for you." Gently, she placed a kiss in the palm of his hand.

"It's time," Kanzeon called softly. Kaguya tearfully took her hand, and with a final wave they were gone.

"Well, I guess that's that," Gojyo said.

"Let's go," Sanzo ordered abruptly. He settled himself in his usual seat in the jeep and casually lit a cigarette.

"Thank you both for your hospitality," Hakkai said with a slight bow to Miyatsuko and Gen. "I hope you're able to fix your house. Sorry for any inconvenience we inadvertently caused."

"Thank you for all you've done for us," Miyatsuko said. "I understand now that Kaguya was always destined to leave me for her real family. I'm just glad she was able to meet your friend before she did."

"Speaking of which," Gojyo said as he climbed into the jeep's back seat next to Goku, "what do you suppose went on up there? I mean do you think they…"

"Finish that sentence and I finish your life," Sanzo threatened. "Drive, Hakkai."

"It's both heartwarming and sad to think of our boy as all grown up, but at least we still have him back with us for now," Hakkai said as he started the jeep and navigated their way back to the main road. Sanzo glared at him, but didn't reply.

They drove in companionable silence until they reached the next town, but Goku couldn't be woken even to eat. They left him to sleep as they ate and gathered supplies before continuing on to the West. Not until the sun sank behind the horizon they were headed for did he finally stir.

"Hey there, sleepy head," Gojyo sang as he ruffled Goku's hair. "Must have had quite a night, hunh?"

"Cut it out," he whined, batting the offending hand away. "Why can't you just let a guy get a decent nap in once in awhile?"

"Nap? You've been snoring away since you got back!"

"Back? What are you talking about?" Goku asked. "I've been here the whole time! Hey, we finally got out of the woods!"

"We've been out of the woods since this morning," Gojyo pointed out. "That's how long you've been asleep."

"What?! No way! Man, I musta been really tired! Did I miss anything?" he added, giving his muscles a good stretch.

"You really don't remember anything from yesterday?" Hakkai asked, glancing over his shoulder to see if Goku was being serious.

"Yesterday we were in the desert. Nothing to remember but a lot of sand."

"That was two days ago," Sanzo corrected.

"What?! I've been sleeping for two days?" Goku exclaimed.

"Wait a minute!" Gojyo said, waving his hands in the air. "Are you telling me you don't remember the valley? The rich prick? Gen? Miyatsuko? Kaguya? You don't remember last night at all? Man, that sucks! The night of your life and you don't remember?!"

"What are you talking about? Oh, wait! I get it! You're playing a trick on me, trying to make me think I was sleeping that long, right? Right? Come on, guys, stop foolin' around!"

"We're not trying to trick you, Goku," Hakkai said. "We're just surprised you don't remember Kaguya after all that happened."

"All that happened?" A look of dread fell across Goku's face. "Wait a minute! I didn't…" he reached up to ensure his coronet was safely in place, "...did I?"

"It's okay, Goku," Sanzo said. "No one got hurt. And you've only been asleep since this morning. You've just forgotten yesterday. Ignore anything these assholes say about it. It's over now."

"That was a little harsh, don't you think?" Hakkai whispered to Sanzo as Gojyo and Goku started shoving each other back and forth for more room in the back seat. "Don't you think he deserves to know?"

"What good would it do," Sanzo whispered back. "Forgetting is better than regretting."

They rode on in silence for a few minutes before Hakkai responded. "I don't agree. But since it's already done, we'll have to let it go. Maybe...one day...he'll remember. Even if he doesn't remember everything he shared with Kaguya, I hope he'll at least remember how it felt to love that deeply. Everyone deserves that."

Sanzo sighed and rubbed his aching temples. "Yeah. One day. If he doesn't remember on his own, we can tell him. Just not now."

Hakkai looked over at his riding companion and nodded. "I understand."

Goku's head suddenly appeared between them. "Please tell me you got some more food! I'm starvin'!"

"There should be a town just over this hill," Hakkai reassured him. "We'll stop there for the night."

"I'm not tired, just hungry!" he moaned, sitting back in his seat.

Goku propped an elbow on the side of the jeep and rested his cheek on his fist. Gazing up at the nearly full moon, he felt a sense of warmth and peace spread throughout his body. An ache he hadn't even realized was bothering in his chest eased, and his heart felt whole once more. He noticed a tingling sensation in his hand, and opened his fist to see two shiny crescent-shaped marks on his palm that seemed to glow in the moonlight. Resting his cheek against his palm, he sighed happily and smiled up at the moon.


End file.
